Linoleum product and method of making same



' 06L 1931- M. s. MCCONOUGHEY 1,326,217

LINOLEUM PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 10, 1927 IN V EN TOR ATTORNEY alienated at 6, 193i UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERLE S. MCCONOUGHEY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T CONGOLEUM-- -N.AIRN, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LINOLEUEI PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING- SAME Application filed September 10, 1927. Serial No. 218,606.

My present invention concerns the final commercial product known as linoleum and commonly used as a floor covering, rather than the special compositions or cements from which this product may be made.

Various primary types of the floor coverings that are called linoleum were invented and were named linoleum by Walton more than fifty years ago. His original linoleum compositions included oxidized (polymerized) linseed oil, resin and kauri gum specially prepared and combined with fpigments, wood pulp, ground cork or similar 'lling material. It is characteristic of these composi- 1 tions that they are plastic when hot so that they can be easily rolled to sheet form; that they will set sufliciently for handling when cooled and that thereafter they can be further cured and oxidized to the elastic firmness, characteristic of the finished products,

by long continued exposure to hot air. Walton also invented various methods whereby such compositions are rolled or cemented in sheet form on a fabric backing of jute or the like, and the backing was customarily painted, thereby improving the appearance of the under surface of the linoleum and affording some protection against abrasion and moisture.

While many changes have since been made in the proportions of the materials used in the linoleum compositions and various additions and substitutions have been made, sometimes with a view to decreasing the proportion of the linseed oil and other costly constituents and sometimes with a view to improving some quality of the product, the essential constituents of the linoleum compositions and also the structure and physical characteristics of the completed product are to-day generically the same as they were fifty years ago.

This product has been and is a great-commercial success on account of its well known virtues, and notwithstanding several equally well known weaknesses and defects. I have discovered that though these defects and weaknesses are quite different in kind, it is a remarkable fact that they all happen to be eliminated or substantially remedied bydif-.

ferently directed aspects, or functionings of a novel fabric employed in accordance with my present invention. Among these weaknesses and defects may be mentioned the following:

First: It has always been found difficult to sheet the linoleum composition onto the fabric so that the product will remain uniformly flat, particularly where the fabric is the preferred jute burlap, because this fabric is of very loose, slippery, open weave and is also non-uniform as to sizes and degree of twist in the threads or yarns from which it is woven. Moreover, even the best linoleums of the present day art exhibit strong tendency to warp, convex, and billow when the back or painted face is laid next to the floor where it can sweat and become moist in various ways. As the result, it long ago came to be accepted that a linoleum floor covering should be cemented to the floor. But this is not satisfactory because it is difficult and expensive to et a cement sufliciently adhesive and waterproof to hold the linoleum against convexing or blistering, as it is called, under trying conditions which are sure to arise sooner or later even in the best regulated installations. Furthermore, this defect prevents the extensive use of linoleum in the form of rugs, which, of course, cannot be cemented at all.

It has long been recognized that moisture getting under the linoleum is the cause of this blistering'or billowing, and the history of the art shows that experts have lon sought to keep the water out by waterproo ng the under surface of the linoleum, typical remedies including protective coatings of waterproofing paint, linoleum composition, rubber solution, asphalt, etc., painted, rolled or otherwise applied to the under or floor surface of the linoleum. Ithas also beenproposed to use asphalt saturated felt as the floor face of the linoleum, but allof these expedients have proved commercial failures for one reason or another. -No one has ever succeeded in getting a coating of paint, rubber or asphalt that is sufiiciently waterproof to prevent convexing under conditions of practical use on the floor, while the attempts to hold down the ing with and anchoring position, are diiiicult t l inatic machinery for I the linoleum compositio starch, starch sizing, paint n retorore and OllllQfffillGIS have oeen used to stiffen-the burlap. lo the finished product the starch, paint and other filling materials tend to become and brittle with time, constituting a thin layer, interpenetrating with rigid rn like bonds, the fibers of the burlap. lience, when flat linoleum is rolled or warped linoleum flattened, these rigid bonds tend to tear loose and the brittle layer breaks. Experience shows also that in such bonds, the shows very little resistance to tearing.

As concerns this diliiculty, an important feature of my invention is that it affords an entirely different character of adhesive bond between the burlap and the linoleum composition, paint, etc. More particularly,

invention provides for an intermediate flexible, slidable bond in the form or a film coating on the threads of the fabric. This coating is preferably asphalt or other material of the type that never really becomes solid, in the ordinary sense of the word. That is to say, while it may become very fluid when highly heated and may have a fairly definite solidifying point below which it becomes progressively stifier, it retains characteristics of a super-cooled liquid all normal temperatures. One surface of such a film adheres tightly to the jute and the other to the paint or the linoleum composition, while the intervening material of the film can slowly flow to permit a sort of lubricated slip under stress, thereby permitting considerable readjustment between fibers of the threads and between the thread and the linoleum or paint, without the brittle rupture effects observed in prior products. The fact that the external adhesion is greater than the internal 1 cohesion is proved by the fact that the burlap threads are rorcibly stripped out of their bed grooves in the composition, the one tea-ring which seems to be due partly to the fact that by my methoc the asphalt is applied in such a as to practically douole the tensile strength of the Tate yarn or threads, and still further due to the that a. 1 1 -i under oeetilng Sm SSS vile ilbSlS CLO ZlOo will 6.0.6

a time in ei: seats, but slip out squeeze together under the that the rug ng stress can" t ere are several of the threads aiioiro u. d resistance thereto. is invention affords doubl separately affecting each o scribed defects, naturall scribe th nvention in such a wely discr nate between the essen" sary for a cure of one as distinguislnd those necessary for cure of another. probable, however, that the preferred pi tics of the invention which is best for one is also best for the other.

As concerns warping, convening, etc, a fundamental cause of success of my invention i is final abandonment of the old idea that this defect must be cured or can be cured by waterproofing the under surface oi the linoleum and shifting to the idea of an improved liminary treatment for the burlap or other fabric. My preferred method best calculated to serve all the above enumerated functions involves treating the burlap with asphalt of such quality and under such conditions that the substance of every fiber will be materially impregnated with the asphalt, the surface of every fiber will be coated with asphalt and the thread or yarn as a whole will be saturated with asphalt, yet the open mesh spaces characteristic of the burlap and which serve a very useful function, will remain 0 en and unclogged by the asphalt. Preferlli warp threads are somewhat stretched, the fabric is rolled down to comparative uniformity in thickness and the crossing points of the loose weave are stuck together so that they become regularized and practically fixed, while flexibility of the fabric as a whole is preserved with only such modification as is desirable for easier handling of the fabric in the machine.

If the thus treated burlap is examined after it has cooled to normal temperatures, the physical qualities and possibilities above ascribed to it will be found more or less selfevident.

This fabric may be brought to the rolls for applying the linoleum, either hot from the squeezing rolls of the asphalt bath or if precooled, it will be re-heated by the rolls of the linoleum machines. The linoleum machine may apply the linoleum composition and complete the product according to any of t ly, the y ill rename approved methods, the most usual of which are (a) rolling the linoleum composition into intimate interlocking engagement with the burlap, or, (b) pro-forming the lineoleum layer in sheeting rolls and then cementing it to the fabric. in the case of pro-formed sheets as also in the case of block inlaid linoleum, made from pro-formed blocks of the composition, the asphalted fabric may be provided with a preliminary backing coat of paint substantially filling the mesh and with a sticky coat closing in and bondingthe in black an white.

Fig. l is a detail face view indicating something of the weave and irregularities of burlap.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the saturated burlap.

fig. 3 is a face view of a fragment of lineleum with the surface layer broken away irregularly twisted threads or yarns of various sizes, the warp threads at i, being square woven alternately under and over the weft threads 2, in such loose mesh as to leave ample openings 3 through the fabric. when treated with very hot liquid asphalt as described below, the fabric will have itsfibers blackened, compressed and flattened, as indicated more or less unsuccessfully in Figs. 2 and 3. a

A preferred method is to take gute burlap, run it under submerging rolls in a hot asphalt bath to thoroughly lmpregnate the threads,.and subsequently to remove a portion of the absorbed asphalt, particularly that which is mechanically held, by means of the drawing rolls at the end of the bath which serve to squeeze the impregnated fabric. This squeezing operation l have found most advantageous in accomplishing that particular aim of my invention, namely, to thoroughly impregnate or coat the individual threads of.

the burlap with the waterproofing asphalt while avolding any substantial accumulation or retention of asphalt in the normally open meshes of such burlap.

The asphalt may be about half and. half natural asphalt and petroleum asphalt and the mixture'will have a definable melting point which .ma be taken as somewhere around 150 F, but there are many different standards of what constitutes melting of asphalt, and my range of melting points nnght be given from as ow as 135 F. up to as igh as 175 F. For present purposes, it is suficient to note first, that the melting point is substantially above the highest natural or climate temperatures and substantially below the boiling point of water. Another important feature is that the asphalt in the bath is maintained at far higher temperatures, say, 400 F, as a desired standard with, say, 350 F. to 450 F. as range of variation. At these high temperatures, the asphalt is very thin and readily saturates the jute and in fact would burn and weaken the fiber of the jute if allowed to do so. l have discovered, however, that there is enough free moisture naturally present in the jute to protect it for a short time and that the asphalt is so fluid that impregnation of the fibers and saturation of the yarn can be completed before any real harm results. Boiling off of such water absorbs latent heat and prevents rise of temperature in the jute as long as it is present in sufficient quanti ties. l have found that enough of the water can be boiled ofi and the jute fibers impreghated and the yarn saturated as above described by asphalt maintained at 400 by drawing the fabric through the bath at rate of, sa 150 feet per minute through a submerged path of, say, feet, thereby enposing it to the heat and saturating action of the asphalt for a. period of, say, 20 seconds.

Another feature of the saturation is the 1 squeezing out of excess asphalt by powerful rolls, like calendering rolls, at the end of the bath. lln these rolls the individual yarns are squeezed too dry but this is compensated for by excess asphalt trapped in the interspaces or meshes and sucked back into the yarn when the latter expands after release from pressure of the rolls.

in the above illustrative examples, variousburlaps have been found to take up asphalt to the extent of, say, to 90% of the weight of the burlap, but from my previous description of the functions to be served by the asphalt, it will be evident that wide variations in the method are possible; as also in the percentages, temperatures, dis tances, speeds, and materials.

in Figs. 8 and l, l have shown a completed linoleum made by rolling on and into the fabric 1, Q, composition, a, the pressure being such that pensions l0; of e composi compressed inio the mesh spaces, portions l-a are mechanic lly inrecoled with the threads, 1, 2 Well as being in molecular or adhesive engagement herewith through the medium of thin of yieldable asphalt: They also serve the mechanical function of lively solid. filing blocks preveniing distortion or oi the threads of the fabric.

Though my invention makes it unnecessary I may improve the appearance of the under or floor face of the linoleum shown in Figs 3 and a by giving it a coat of paint as indicated at 5.

In Figs. 5 a

no. 6 l have shown block inlaid linoleum m co in accordance with my 217611 tion. in this case psi 5, is first apgalied with portions 50, flowed or forced to iill mesh openi' s, 3, and into inoerleching engagement H ili the threads 1. set the sticl pressed she preformed 4-, isa.

Linoleum made as above is Wlll resist to: far better chan any 'oeic-re euer without damage, and will even scai quite sharp flexing Withoui breaking. ll flexed, until the linoleum composition breaks, it crumbles little or not all and When bent again will usually appear unbroken and may be even self-healing to some extent where high grade linoleum composition is used. It will not convex or Warp on the iloor but, on thecoinirary will actually 7 itself to the floor when forcibly beni; is obvious wt these results are not one to any mechanicconstraini imposed by she weight of the asphalt for the amount is far too small and (here is eve reason to believe that it is due to the sen'ii- -uid nature of the bonding film am unites th fabric lo the composition and to the co; ple'te exclusion of moisture from the fabric. lily invention clearly demonstrates exclusion of nioislure from the lower or oor face of the linoleum is unnecessary and to my mind ii; further demonstrates shah she bonding film of asphalt does exercise semifluid or quasilubricating function sufiicient to inute slip or yield of the bonded fibers Wuhout breaking or impairir g the bond.

As will be evident Join the foregoing, my invention applies to linoleum-like products even Where modern equivalents or substitutes are used, as instance various oils, or oxidized or polymerized oils or pitches used in place of the linseed groduc: also in place of the ssphali; va ous other lsi minous products or oils or pitches used to serve some or all of the desired and some of these in fabric is 'ed lens reg;

is a saturation. or is an ins; -egnaiion the material the fiber, one or Ev-7o ihree being new useful some or all of the above purposes.

I claim:

1. The method of making linoleum, which includes first Waterproofing the individual threads or yarns in opensnesh fabric, While preventing any substantial retention of the Waterproofing material in the normally open meshes, and alien associating the fabric vii'bh the linoleum composition.

2. process or" making iii oleum, Whic includes first wa 'erprooiing the individua- "threads Oi fyl open-mesh fabric by submerging the i oric in a maintained at a lemgerature Water for a brief oej excess of asphaltbey p-regnate and coat v threads or yarns in open merging the fabric in asp iug point between a pro; 175 1 -then removing beyond that required to che 'lhrcads of the fabrim retention of any suhs'ba phali; in the normally 0 1o associating the fabric position The method of real includes first submergine in asphalt mainta ned an 2 above-the boiling point of? l period, then passing the fabric bemveen pres sure rolls operating to sq the fabric to ver dry condition, restorin a desired amount of the asph lion of the excess aspha *0 than is tianped in the unsqueezable mesh openi in the fabric, and finally associating the iric with the linoleum composition by any of the known or approved methods 5; The method of making linoleum, which includes first subinerging open-mesh fabric in asphalt maintained a a licmpera'ure far above the boilin pointof Water for brief period, then passing the fabric between nressurerolls operas-mg to squeeze the threads of the fabric to an over dry condition, restoring a desired amount of the asphalt by absorption of 'ihe excess asphalt that is trapped in the uusqueezable mesh openings in the fabric, and finally associating the fabric with the linoleum composition by forcino' the linoleum composition into intimaie l iJOllOCklIlg engagement in the meshes of fabric.

illi) method o makins i coat 'phalt impregnated threads and forming a with asphalt, having a normal melting point of about 150 F., maintained at a temperature above 350 F., then passing the fabric between pressure rolls operating to squeeze the threads of the fabric to an over dry condition, restoring a desired amount of the asphalt by absorption of the excess asphalt that is trapped in the unsqueezable mesh openings in the fabric and finally associating the fabric with the linoleum composition.

7. A floor covering comprising a wearing surface of linoleum-like composition and an open mesh backing fabric, the individual threads of said fabric being impregnated with a semi-solid adhesive waterproofing material, and the mesh openings of said fabric being substantially devoid of said waterproofing material.

8. A floor covering comprising a wearing surface of linoleum-like composition and an open mesh backing fabric, the individual threads of such fabric being impregnated with asphalt and the mesh openings of said fabric being substantially devoid of asphalt.

9. A floor covering comprising a wearing surface of linoleum-like composition, and an open mesh backing fabric embedded therein and bonded thereto through the medium of thin films of a semi-solid adhesive Waterproofing material the individual threads of the fabric being impregnated with said waterproofing material and the mesh openings of the fabric being substantially devoid of said waterproofing material.

10. A floor covering comprising a wearing surface of linoleum-like composition, and a backing of open mesh fabric, the individual threads of the fabric being impregnated with asphalt and the mesh openings of the fabric being substantially devoid of asphalt, the linoleum-like composition extending into the mesh openings of the fabric between the asmechanical interlock with said fabric.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

MERLE S. MOCONOUGHEY. 

